Labour's proposed regional fuel tax: Will you be happy to pay it?

Forums › Politics › Labour's proposed regional fuel tax: Will you be happy to pay it?

frednz

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# 220348 7-Aug-2017 09:44

So what do you think of Labour's proposed regional fuel tax? Would you be happy to pay it so it can be used for the purpose explained in the article linked to below:

http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/336581/labour-s-ardern-pledges-ak-light-rail-link-in-10-years

I can see one advantage of it -- it might encourage more people to buy electric vehicles. Now if only some of this tax could be put towards providing subsidies for the purchase of electric vehicles, then I probably wouldn't mind paying it.

But is it a practical scheme, wouldn't it be difficult to set up and administer?

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# 1840386 7-Aug-2017 09:49

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Just another election bribe. All political parties are rolling out copious amounts of BS prior to this election. Same old, same old it never changes.

sbiddle

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# 1840393 7-Aug-2017 09:51

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frednz:

So what do you think of Labour's proposed regional fuel tax? Would you be happy to pay it so it can be used for the purpose explained in the article linked to below:

http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/336581/labour-s-ardern-pledges-ak-light-rail-link-in-10-years

I can see one advantage of it -- it might encourage more people to buy electric vehicles. Now if only some of this tax could be put towards providing subsidies for the purchase of electric vehicles, then I probably wouldn't mind paying it.

But is it a practical scheme, wouldn't it be difficult to set up and administer?

How will all the lost tax from EV's be funded? At some point these people have to start paying road user charges.

robjg63

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# 1840394 7-Aug-2017 09:52

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The government already collects taxes on fuel - can't see why there would be any additional overhead to administer it.

Provided it was used for purpose I have no problem with it - Everyone that pays the tax will ultimately benefit from it. It is probably not fair for the rest of the country to have to pay for this long overdue work - and Auckland seems to have cheaper fuel than the rest of the country at the moment as far as I can see so it shouldnt hurt too much.

I dont think 10c a litre would make everyone dive for electric vehicles - but it does introduce the thought - why should EV drivers also be funding this. I suppose there are so few thats it probably not work worrying about them.

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

sbiddle

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# 1840395 7-Aug-2017 09:54

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The arguments against it are the same arguments used for the likes of GST. The simplicity of the system is that it covers all goods and services and is charged the same across the country with no exceptions.

kryptonjohn

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# 1840396 7-Aug-2017 09:54

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I'm against it for a few reasons.

There's no practical use of rail for a majority of Aucklanders who don't have a track running from near home home to near work. Having to drive or worse bus to the nearest station to home, then something similar at the other end is dreadfully non productive.

The tax can be avoided by many who will add to congestion and waste by driving over the boundary to fill up their car and bootload of jerry cans. You could save $160 by doing so at the proposed 10c/L rate.

The tax adds overhead to the simple tax system we have now.

tdgeek

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# 1840400 7-Aug-2017 09:58

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kryptonjohn:

I'm against it for a few reasons.

There's no practical use of rail for a majority of Aucklanders who don't have a track running from near home home to near work. Having to drive or worse bus to the nearest station to home, then something similar at the other end is dreadfully non productive.

The tax can be avoided by many who will add to congestion and waste by driving over the boundary to fill up their car and bootload of jerry cans. You could save $160 by doing so at the proposed 10c/L rate.

The tax adds overhead to the simple tax system we have now.

Wont more public transport use aid the drivers/riders that arent able to use the rail? Less cars on the road and CBD?

ajw

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# 1840404 7-Aug-2017 10:03

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frednz:

So what do you think of Labour's proposed regional fuel tax? Would you be happy to pay it so it can be used for the purpose explained in the article linked to below:

http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/336581/labour-s-ardern-pledges-ak-light-rail-link-in-10-years

I can see one advantage of it -- it might encourage more people to buy electric vehicles. Now if only some of this tax could be put towards providing subsidies for the purchase of electric vehicles, then I probably wouldn't mind paying it.

But is it a practical scheme, wouldn't it be difficult to set up and administer?

All the revenue that is collected from petrol tax ends up in the consolidated fund and used to fund all manner of projects and why give councils more money, as it is councils find it impossible to live within a budget and blatantly waste ratepayer money. How about Central Govt downsize some of these councils.

Linuxluver

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# 1840408 7-Aug-2017 10:05

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frednz:

So what do you think of Labour's proposed regional fuel tax? Would you be happy to pay it so it can be used for the purpose explained in the article linked to below:

http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/336581/labour-s-ardern-pledges-ak-light-rail-link-in-10-years

I can see one advantage of it -- it might encourage more people to buy electric vehicles. Now if only some of this tax could be put towards providing subsidies for the purchase of electric vehicles, then I probably wouldn't mind paying it.

But is it a practical scheme, wouldn't it be difficult to set up and administer?

As an electric car owner....I won't be paying it.

But if I had a petrol car I'd happily pay it. Auckland's infrastructure has been crippled for decades by penny-pinchers who seem to want to pretend they live in Foxton.

Go. To. Foxton.

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frednz

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# 1840411 7-Aug-2017 10:11

kryptonjohn:

I'm against it for a few reasons.

There's no practical use of rail for a majority of Aucklanders who don't have a track running from near home home to near work. Having to drive or worse bus to the nearest station to home, then something similar at the other end is dreadfully non productive.

The tax can be avoided by many who will add to congestion and waste by driving over the boundary to fill up their car and bootload of jerry cans. You could save $160 by doing so at the proposed 10c/L rate.

The tax adds overhead to the simple tax system we have now.

Auckland Mayor Phil Goff is backing Labour's plan to introduce a regional fuel tax so Auckland can buy its way out of gridlock.

But Prime Minister Bill English says it can't be done, and Kiwi motorists as far away as Invercargill will have to pay up at the pump (see this article):

http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/election/2017/08/regional-fuel-tax-can-t-be-done-english.html

Mr English told The AM Show one of the reasons the Government rejected Mr Goff's proposed regional fuel tax is that it just can't be done.

"They can't target it on the Auckland region. The companies simply pay the bill to the Government and to the council," he said.

"I'm advised there's no way you can actually show the money was collected only in Auckland."

So, if Bill English is correct, then I wonder whether this regional fuel tax will take off? Why should people outside of Auckland have to pay this additional tax?

tdgeek

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# 1840416 7-Aug-2017 10:25

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frednz:

kryptonjohn:

I'm against it for a few reasons.

There's no practical use of rail for a majority of Aucklanders who don't have a track running from near home home to near work. Having to drive or worse bus to the nearest station to home, then something similar at the other end is dreadfully non productive.

The tax can be avoided by many who will add to congestion and waste by driving over the boundary to fill up their car and bootload of jerry cans. You could save $160 by doing so at the proposed 10c/L rate.

The tax adds overhead to the simple tax system we have now.

Auckland Mayor Phil Goff is backing Labour's plan to introduce a regional fuel tax so Auckland can buy its way out of gridlock.

But Prime Minister Bill English says it can't be done, and Kiwi motorists as far away as Invercargill will have to pay up at the pump (see this article):

http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/election/2017/08/regional-fuel-tax-can-t-be-done-english.html

Mr English told The AM Show one of the reasons the Government rejected Mr Goff's proposed regional fuel tax is that it just can't be done.

"They can't target it on the Auckland region. The companies simply pay the bill to the Government and to the council," he said.

"I'm advised there's no way you can actually show the money was collected only in Auckland."

So, if Bill English is correct, then I wonder whether this regional fuel tax will take off? Why should people outside of Auckland have to pay this additional tax?

If we could find a way to computerise the pumps billing systems and the gas stations accounting systems, to account for the 10c per litre that Auckland gas stations are located, collect it. Can't be done, what a load of hogwash. They can tell you how many Moro bars were sold in the last 5 days at one station, its just a product and sales code.

Senecio

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# 1840418 7-Aug-2017 10:26

I haven't seen it mentioned, but how do they propose to get those of us in Auckland that drive diesels to contribute?

Linuxluver

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# 1840424 7-Aug-2017 10:30

sbiddle:

frednz:

So what do you think of Labour's proposed regional fuel tax? Would you be happy to pay it so it can be used for the purpose explained in the article linked to below:

http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/336581/labour-s-ardern-pledges-ak-light-rail-link-in-10-years

I can see one advantage of it -- it might encourage more people to buy electric vehicles. Now if only some of this tax could be put towards providing subsidies for the purchase of electric vehicles, then I probably wouldn't mind paying it.

But is it a practical scheme, wouldn't it be difficult to set up and administer?

How will all the lost tax from EV's be funded? At some point these people have to start paying road user charges.

Only when gas guzzlers start paying a carbon tax. :-)

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Linuxluver

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# 1840425 7-Aug-2017 10:31

Senecio:

I haven't seen it mentioned, but how do they propose to get those of us in Auckland that drive diesels to contribute?

In the price of diesel.....no problem.

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Senecio

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# 1840429 7-Aug-2017 10:36

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Linuxluver:

In the price of diesel.....no problem.

Doesn't that defeat the point of RUC? People who are using diesel for agricultural purposes in Auckland are also going to contribute to reduced congestion on Auckland motorways?

ajw

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# 1840431 7-Aug-2017 10:38

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Central government created the problem by allowing the flood gates open to, to much immigration the majority ending up in Auckland.

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